


World Jumper

by Raorica



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Gore, No edits we die like [insert spoilers], POV Second Person, Reincarnation, Supernatural Elements, but it starts out as kaneki's POV first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:39:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25912231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raorica/pseuds/Raorica
Summary: First, you will offer up your arms. Then, you’ll give up your legs. Your heart, oh, it will be gifted without notice. Finally, your humanity will be taken. (But your life? Oh darling, you will always waken each day with or without consent.)All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players. Yes, even you. (remember, it’s always been between just you and I.) SI OC(Or: In which someone is reborn into a world of monsters but remains achingly human)
Relationships: Arima Kishou & Original Female Character(s), Kaneki Ken | Sasaki Haise & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	World Jumper

“They say ghouls hide amongst us, disguised as humans. They could be closer than we think.”

Kaneki glances around the café, watching the staff rush around the tables, and an old man struggling to drink his coffee, his frail frame trembling with the effort. “Disguised as humans, huh…?”

“I bet you’re a ghoul, Kaneki,” Hide teases, laughing at Kaneki’s deadpan expression, “please don’t eat meee.”

Despite his best efforts, a snort still escapes from Kaneki when he watches the other start to cower in feigned fear, trembling like a rabbit. 

Hide hums in thought. “I wonder if _she’s_ a ghoul.” 

“...”

“...”

The two pale and shudder as the idea sinks in. The world would end as they knew it if it was true. There is no need to specify just _who_ he was talking about. She was terrifying enough as a human, adding supernatural abilities and cannibalistic tendencies to the mix would _not_ be conducive to _anyone’s_ wellbeing. 

“Don’t even _joke_ about that.”

“...Let’s never mention that to her face. Not like it could be true anyway, what with her being— ”

“Yeah...” 

“Anyway, enough about that.” Hide stares at Kaneki seriously, watching him straighten at the glint in his eyes, before breaking into a mischievous grin. “Where’s that cute girl you’ve been talking about?”

Kaneki shushes him even as he blushes a brilliant red. Leave it to his best friend to bring up the most unexpected topics, he thinks, though not without fondness.

* * *

Kaneki walks with Rize, ignoring the faint warning bells. He’s on a date with someone who is not only insanely beautiful, but also shared the same interests as he did. Rize smiles at him when he nervously rubs his hands on his pants, the now fading callouses barely catching on the fabric. God, he thinks, he must have really saved the world or something to be this lucky.

.

.

.

This is not what most people mean when they say they want to eat someone up, says a voice in his mind. It sounds a lot like Hide.

When she raises her head, bloody teeth bared and eyes red red red, he thinks, going cold at the thought, _ghoul_ . And then, a hysterical part of him goes, oh, it was a good thing _she_ wasn’t here, else, she would murder him herself. Both for being so stupid, as well as for not having kept up with his training.

Still, his hand shoots out to automatically slam against Rize’s jaw, and there is a split second of guilt from hitting a girl. It soon passes as Rize, a _ghoul_ , brushes it off much too easily, barely reacting to the blow that should have at the very least, shaken a grown man. Except, judging by the way her lips stretch into a surprised but pleased curl, it was barely felt.

“Ooo, I thought you were the gentlemanly type.” A tongue flicks out, licking at the drops of blood that fleck her lips. “But, I _do_ love it when prey fights back.”

This, this is the difference in strength between a ghoul and a human.

Which made _her_ strength all the more confusing.

His body locks up in fear when he sees Rize’s eyes, burning red iris bright against the dark sclera. 

This, this isn’t _fair_.

_Kaneki_.

He stills, and a familiarly calm and detached voice echoes inside his mind. His breathing begins to slow at the memory. Inhale for 7 seconds. Hold for 4. And exhale for 8. Right. 

_You’ve heard of the flight or fight response._

She’s always mentioned how important having a goal in mind was, especially during dires situations. It gives an extra drive that knocks people into action and helps focus the mind to become more efficient.

_There’s actually another part to it. It’s flight, fight, or_ **_freeze_ **. 

He forces his too tense muscles to loosen in preparation for action. It’s almost automatic at this point, to let his body fall into a familiar stance, hands raised and at the ready. Inhale.

_You will meet people stronger than you._

He’s always considered her to be one of them. Maybe he’ll never reach the same heights as she did, but maybe he doesn’t need to. If there’s one thing she’s taught him, it’s how to survive in a world filled with monsters.

_And when that moment comes, don’t freeze._

A foot slides back, and he braces himself. Hold.

_Pick an option and stick to it as if your life depended on it._

He raises his trembling eyes to meet the inhuman gaze that looks back amusedly at him. His mind speeds through plans, and his eyes flicker around his surroundings in an attempt to pick out anything that could be useful to his survival. Anything to draw out more time.

_Because one day, it just might._

Exhale.

* * *

He awakens in the hospital.

The staff there asks if he has any family or guardians to contact, and he hesitates, a name caught behind his teeth. He does, but the thought of contacting her, of her knowing about the incident and his stupidity, scares him. While it’s true that she’s immeasurably strong, could kill him as easily as flicking a fly, it’s not her physical strength that makes him turn off his phone. It’s her disappointment that is sure to come.

“I don’t.”

Despite the staff asking him to stay while they try and ultimately fail to get into contact with someone to bring him home, Kaneki goes home. He is suddenly awashed with relief at knowing that at least she didn’t work in Nerima. After her last check up on him a few weeks ago, she had mentioned that she would be busy for the next few months. _Take care of yourself_ , she had said softly, looking reluctant to leave as she stiffly pats his shoulder. Back then, he had thought her hesitation odd, as she would usually leave with a curt message, any gentleness she may have managed to peel back for him quickly melting away into the sharp coldness that better suits her reputation. 

It’s almost like she knew this would happen.

* * *

His hands shake as it holds the knife aloft.

He needs, he needs to do this. Needs to get rid of the ghoul’s organs as soon as possible. Kaneki cannot be a ghoul, not only because he refuses to become a cannibal, to hunt and be hunted as ghouls do, but also because he’ll lose more than his humanity if he fails. He’ll lose his very life as soon as his guardian comes back. As soon as she returns, she’ll instantly know the truth, no matter how much he’ll try to hide it. He has witnessed her strength firsthand, and knows that if he didn’t stand a chance against Rize, there is a snowball’s chance in hell of his survival against _her_.

It doesn’t matter how long she has been his guardian. He’s heard of her ruthlessness, knows that her name is drenched in blood for a reason, that countless bodies lie dead in her wake, even before they had met.

So he grits his teeth, and with a desperate sob, drives the blade into the scar on his side.

The steel warps.

A broken laugh escapes. It looks like his lifespan will be perhaps a few months at most. If the Doves don’t get him, then she surely will. Maybe she’ll make it a quick death for him, out of consideration for the years spent taking care of him.

* * *

“Stay here at Anteiku.”

* * *

Working in a ghoul café is… an interesting experience.

If he had known beforehand that trying to get a girlfriend would result in going from being a fully _human_ university student to becoming some part ghoul part human monster and learning how to make coffee while being surrounded by ghouls? He would have stayed celibate for _life_.

The phone behind the counter rings, and the sudden sound is unexpectedly sharp in his still sensitive hearing. And here he thought eating human flesh was going to be the worst of his troubles, now he had to get accustomed to near overwhelming smells and clamorous sounds. Tokyo was loud and overwhelming at times to his formerly human senses, and now that he possesses the powerful senses of a ghoul? It’s almost unbearable.

“Kaneki!” Touka waves him over and hands the phone to him, eyes rolling with annoyance as she walks off. “It’s for you.”

Who would be calling him during work? He didn’t have many friends, and Hide knew he was supposed to be working at this time. Could it be the hospital calling back to inform him of some bill he’d forgotten to pay? His heartbeat begins to pick up speed as a thought strikes him. What if they are now aware of his inhumanity, that they have just realized their mistake, and this is just a courtesy call to inform him that the Doves are being sent over to him? Clammy hands shake as the phone is pressed to his ear.

“Hello?”

“...Kaneki?” A familiar voice filled with trepidation. Relief and recognition floods through him.

“Hide?”

“KANEKI, I’m so sorry but you _know_ how scary she can get, she had that _voice_ and I had to tell her the truth and I’m so sorryyyy— ” The panicked voice fades into a plaintive whine.

“What?” Kaneki pulls away from the phone, all too aware of the poorly hidden way everyone eavesdropped in with their acute senses. She…? Who was he...oh. Oh _no_. “Hide, slow down, what are you say— ”

“SHE HEARD ABOUT YOU AND SHE’S COMING OVER RIGHT— ”

The bell rings, signalling the arrival of a new customer, and though he can’t hear the footsteps despite his sharpened senses, he can still feel the hairs on the back of his neck rise. There is the soft creak of a chair being dragged, the sound deliberate and pointed. Kaneki slowly turns towards the person sitting at a table in the corner. The wailing still echoing from the phone is just barely loud enough to drown out the blood pumping through his heart, the pulse a constant beat in his ears.

“She’s here,” he breathes, and the dread in his voice is enough to tip Hide off to the situation unfolding before him, “I have to go.” Kaneki hangs up the phone, cutting off the rambling weepy promises to visit his grave.

He takes in the dark clothes and the uncharacteristically strong perfume. Most of all, with his new heightened senses, he notes the way he can still smell blood, both fresh and old, underneath the cloying fragrance when he steps toward her carrying a notepad and all the enthusiasm of a prisoner heading to their execution.

“Can… Can I take your order?”

A flat and unamused gaze slides from the menu to his apron, rising to linger on his eyepatch for a long moment, before finally locking onto his own nervous eyes. She watches him for a few more moments, and he can’t help but remember his thought back when he stood before Rize, her kagune spread out and himself on the ground before her. 

The instinctual awareness of being far outclassed by someone in strength.

“Kaneki. I’ve heard a few things and I think we need to have a little _talk_.”

He might have survived Rize. He might have lived through eating human flesh. He’s even survived Touka’s rough actions and being recruited into a ghoul café. But, he nervously laughs as he notes the way Touka and the staff stiffen, he wishes he was still in a coma. At least then, he wouldn’t have to deal with this oncoming disaster.

“H-Hello Auntie.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to a speed run of the manga bc I wanted to show the effects of the mc without having her being present in most of the first chapter. But I also didn't wanna rehash canon more than necessary, so the writing is jumpier than usual. More on her next chapter thank god, Kaneki be boring.


End file.
